The present invention relates to a method for laminating interior components of vehicles, particularly to a method of laminating instrument panels as well as to a production system for implementing a method of laminating interior components of vehicles.
It is basically known that trim parts of vehicles, such as instrument panels, are laminated by means of usually layer-type laminating elements, for example, real leather, imitation leather or textiles, while using suitable lamination agents, such as varnish, glue or wax. In this case, the lamination agent is used as an adhesive for achieving a durable fixing of the laminating element on the trim part.
During the lamination, at least two layers of identical or different materials are mutually connected layer by layer, so that a first layer at least partially covers a second layer. In automobile construction, plastic preforms, for example, made of polyurethane foam, provided, for example, for the interior paneling, are laminated by use of films in order to achieve a particularly esthetic and/or functional effect, for example, in order to protect the surface of plastic preforms from outside influences. For this purpose, as a rule, a plurality of individual processes are required, which are successively implemented at different work stations. In this case, intermediate products are conveyed from one work station to the next work station by way of suitable conveying devices. As an alternative, several or all individual processes are implemented at one work station.
In the case of known methods for laminating interior components of vehicles, it is a disadvantage that the entire production capacity of a production system for producing laminated interior components is highly limited because some work stations operate at their capacity limit and other work stations are not fully utilized. For increasing the production capacity, as a rule, parallel-operation manufacturing systems are therefore provided for laminating interior components in order to meet production requirements. Considerable investments are sometimes necessary for this purpose, which have a negative effect on the profit of the enterprise.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least partially eliminate the above described disadvantages in a cost-effective and simple manner. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of laminating interior components of vehicles, by which, compared to conventional methods of the above-mentioned type, the production capacity of existing production facilities is considerably increased. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a production system for implementing the method according to the invention.
The above-mentioned object is achieved by a method for laminating interior components, as well as by a production system for laminating interior components, in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In this case, characteristics and details, which are described in connection with the method according to the invention for laminating interior components, naturally also apply in connection with the production system according to the invention and, in each case, vice-versa, so that reference is and can always be made reciprocally with respect to the disclosure concerning the individual aspects of the invention.
A method according to the invention for laminating interior components of vehicles includes the following acts:                providing at least one laminating element, at least one lamination agent and at least one interior component;        arranging the laminating element on a support element in a first main process;        fixing the laminating element on an interior component while solidifying the lamination agent in a second main process, the lamination agent being arranged between the laminating element and the interior component.        
In this case, the first main process is implemented in a first production stage and the second main process is implemented in a second production stage of a production system, in which case, several first main processes are implemented in a parallel fashion in the first production stage, so that the first production stage and the second production stage ideally have an essentially equally high production capacity. Compared to conventional methods of laminating interior components, this method has the advantage that all production stages can be utilized to their maximum capacity, because they have the same production capacity. As a result of the “parallelizing” of so-called bottleneck processes, which include the first main process, because it is significantly more time-intensive than the second main process, the operational capacity of the production system is clearly increased. When the coordination of the first production stage with the second production stage is optimal, during the lamination of an arbitrary number of interior components, the operating time of the first production stage will correspond essentially to the operating time of the second production stage.
In order to adapt the production capacity of the first production stage to the production capacity of the second production stage, the ratio of the parallel-implemented first main processes to the number of the parallel-implemented second main processes may preferably correspond to the ratio of the duration of the first main process to the second main process. In the simplest case, only one second main process will be implemented. In the case of a duration of, for example, 1 minute for a first main process and a duration of, for example, 15 seconds for the second main process, for each implemented second main process, preferably four first main processes would therefore have to be implemented in parallel. In this manner, the production capacities of all production stages can be optimally utilized. The material flows of the intermediate products of the first main process subsequently have to be merged to form the material flow of the second production stage. Preferably, parallel-implemented first main processes are implemented in a phase-shifted manner with respect to time, so that the intermediate products of the parallel-operating work stations of the first production stage will be finished at different times and guided to the second production stage. This phase shifting is particularly preferably selected such that a time period between the finishing of an intermediate product and of the next finished intermediate product in the first production stage will essentially be constant for the intermediate products that follow. The finished intermediate products can thereby particularly easily be merged to form a material flow and do not have to be intermediately stored in a buffer.
According to the invention, the lamination agent can be applied directly to the interior component or the laminating element, for example, by a sprayed application. The lamination agent can preferably be activated by temperature, preferably approximately 60° C., and/or by pressure, i.e. the lamination agent will develop its bonding effect only under corresponding physical conditions. Here, the lamination agent can soften, for example, starting at a temperature of approximately 60° C., so that it can easily be connected with the laminating element and the interior component, and can harden at a lower temperature. This process is preferably irreversible, so that, when the lamination agent is again heated to 60° C. or higher, it will not soften again. Since interior components of passenger cars are often exposed to intensive sun exposure for long time periods, this is advantageous because a detachment of the laminating element as a result of excessive heating is to be avoided. The application of the lamination agent can take place directly to the interior component and/or to the laminating element.
The second production stage preferably has a laminating facility with an integrated conveying device, particularly a rotary table and/or an automated assembly line. The laminating facility is preferably constructed such that the conveying device moves along continuously, and a fixing station integrated in the laminating facility or parts of this fixing station, such as pressing tools, move along with the conveying device during a process step. An essentially continuous second main process can thereby be achieved. As an alternative, the integrated conveying device may be stopped for the duration of one work cycle. In this case, the work stations are arranged in the laminating facility preferably in an essentially stationary fashion.
In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the first main process carries out a positioning and an alignment of the laminating element on the support element. As a result, a relative position of the laminating element with respect to the support element is defined. This has the advantage that, when the position of the support element is known, the position of the laminating element is also known, and an alignment of the laminating element required for the second main process can take place by a corresponding alignment of the support element, which, as a rule, is clearly less time-intensive than an alignment of the laminating element. This saving of time permits a higher timing of the second main process and, thereby, a better utilization of the second production stage.
The support element is preferably constructed as an interior component. This has the advantage that a work step of arranging the support element (having the laminating element arranged on it) on the interior component does not take place, and the efficiency of the method is thereby further increased. In this case, it is preferred that, before arranging the laminating element on the interior component, the lamination agent is applied to the surface of the interior component that is to be laminated and/or to an adhesive side of the laminating element.
As an alternative thereto, it may be advantageous for the support element to have a topography that corresponds to an inverse image of the surface of the interior component to be laminated, and the laminating element is correspondingly arranged on the support element, so that, during the assembling of the support element with the interior component, the laminating element has a position that is predefined relative to the interior component. As a result, an aligning of the laminating element on the interior component becomes possible by an aligning of the support element with the interior component. Because of the shaping of the support element, an aligning of the support element with the interior component is significantly simpler and thereby faster than an aligning of the laminating element with the interior component.
A further advantage can be achieved if, during the arranging (or after the arranging) on the support element, the laminating element is fixed to the latter in a reversible manner, particularly by way of a clamping device or a temporary adhesion. It is thereby prevented that the position of the laminating element changes, for example, during the transport into the second production stage relative to the supporting element and the original position before the second main process has to be restored in order to avoid a faulty connection of the laminating element and the interior component as well as the additional expenses resulting therefrom.
Furthermore, it is advantageous for the arranging of the laminating element on the support element to take place on a mobile transport unit. Such transport units are also called “shuttles”. The transport unit is further preferably constructed as a platform having a receiving device, on which the support element is deposited, so that at least a lateral motion of the support element relative to the platform will be prevented. The transport units can be preferably moved between the first production stage and the second production stage. Also preferably, the transport units can adapt their speed to the respective cycle rate of the first production stage or of the second production stage.
It may also be advantageous for the laminating element and/or the lamination agent to be subjected to at least one treatment process before the second main process on the transport unit, particularly to a thermal and/or chemical treatment. As a result, for example, the bonding effect of the lamination agent can be improved and/or the dimensional stability of the laminating element can be optimized, for example, in the case of a high increase in temperature as a result of sun exposure.
It is further advantageous for the solidification of the lamination agent to take place by pressure and/or temperature. It is further preferred that the pressure be applied to the laminating element by way of a top tool, a robot and/or a roller. Such lamination agents are particularly suitable for laminating interior components of a vehicle because high strength as well as temperature stability can be achieved by use of such lamination agents.
Another object of the present invention is a production system for the implementation of a method according to the invention for laminating interior components, the system including:                a plurality of transport units for receiving at least one interior component, respectively;        a plurality of arranging stations for arranging laminating elements on support elements, particularly interior components, the support elements being arranged on transport units, and        a laminating facility having at least one fixing station for fixing laminating elements on the interior components.        
Furthermore, the production system has at least twice as many arranging stations as fixing stations. Because arranging stations for the arrangement of laminating elements on support elements always have a longer throughput time than fixing stations, the production system according to the invention has the advantage, compared to conventional production systems, that a higher average utilization of the individual production stations can be achieved in the production operation, and the efficiency of the production system is thereby clearly increased.
The laminating machine preferably bon at least a top tool, a robot and/or a roller for pressing the lamination agent against the interior component.
By way of the production system according to the invention, the same advantages are achieved as were explained in detail with respect to the method according to the invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.